Police arrest man at US Capitol who had bottles of fuel, flare gun, blow torch

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Fences, security measures in place in DC ahead of election day

Security measures can be seen across Washington D.C. ahead of election day. FOX 5 DC reports. 

A Michigan man has been identified as the suspect arrested for attempting to enter the U.S. Capitol with a flare gun, a torch, and two bottles of gasoline on Election Day.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Austin M. Olson, 27, of Westland, Michigan, had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday, following his November 5, 2024, attempt to enter the U.S. Capitol. 

U.S. Capitol police said Olson was stopped during the security screening process at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). 

Authorities said Olson was charged with unlawful activities for carrying a weapon or incendiary device on Capitol grounds.

GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE BUSINESSES ERECT BARRICADES IN PREPARATION FOR ELECTION DAY

U.S. Capitol Police released a photo of a flare gun seized from a suspect during a security screening process at the visitor's center. (USCP)

Around 12:30 pm on Election Day, officials said Olson entered the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center and was asked to remove his belongings for inspection in a security x-ray machine.

When Olson’s black coat passed through the x-ray machine, an officer saw what appeared to be a torch and a small firearm. 

The officer recovered a small torch device and an orange flare gun from his coat and also noted that Olson’s small backpack reeked strongly of gasoline. 

Sources also told Fox News that Olson's clothes reeked of fuel and his clothes were wet. Capitol Police picked up on this immediately and arrested him. His clothes were removed immediately, the sources added. 

During a search, officers also found two bottles filled with fuel inside the backpack. 

According to the USCP officer, Olson stated he was at the Capitol to send a message to Congress and that he had brought the torch and flare gun to "light up the message in fire." 

One senior source told Fox News that investigators were not certain if the suspect intended to self-immolate. 

U.S. Capitol Police released a photo of a torch lighter and bottles of fuel seized from a suspect during a security screening process at the visitor's center. (USCP)

At a press conference, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said "some" of the suspect’s clothing smelled like gasoline, "but not all of it," so "it's really unknown at this point what his intention was." 

"There's no indication right now that it had anything to do with the election," Manger said, adding that the U.S. Capitol Police have "an enhanced posture in terms of our security," that will likely continue "through and beyond the inauguration, if need be."  

Sources told Fox News that Olson appeared to be acting alone and was not on the U.S. Capitol Police's radar. 

Manger said police also located Olson's vehicle several blocks away and seized it as part of the ongoing investigation.

A view of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., on Nov. 4, 2024, ahead of the Presidential Election.  (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"He had papers with him that he said his intent was to deliver them to Congress," Manger said when asked about the reported manifesto. 

Officials said the letter was focused on the man’s opinions on the war in the Middle East.

The chief described the suspect as "very compliant" with police. The man was said to have hesitated briefly and was urged by officers to speed up going through security. He is now being interviewed by investigators, Manger said. 

A view of the security fence near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2024, ahead of the Presidential Election.  (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"If our officers did not stop this man, yesterday would have been a very different story than this one," said Manger. "All of our employees continue to work, together, around the clock during this heightened security environment."

Olson was charged with unlawful activities, possession of a prohibited weapon, and disorderly conduct and transported to USCP headquarters.

The arrest happened on Election Day, as voters across the country headed to the polls.

NEW SECURITY FENCES SEEN AROUND KEY DC SITES AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY

On Monday, the Secret Service confirmed that it was erecting barriers around major sites in the nation's capital, including the White House and the vice president's residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory. 

Meanwhile, private businesses in major cities, like New York, Portland and Washington, D.C., have also followed suit by boarding up their storefronts. 

Businesses near the White House set up security measures in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2024, ahead of possible violence on and after the Nov. 5 election.  (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Secret Service said it was "working closely" with federal, state and local partners in both the nation's capital and Palm Beach County, Florida, in order to implement "heightened levels of safety and security" ahead of Tuesday's election. In addition to the White House and the Naval Observatory, fencing will also block off the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C., and authorities have used bike-rack barriers to fortify the Capitol, according to The Washington Post. 

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Meanwhile, Howard University, where Harris will be on election night, will also see heightened security measures, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department indicated.